Treatment of AIDS-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma with dose-adjusted EPOCH chemotherapy.

Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) has rarely been described in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Reports of treatment of ALCL in the setting of AIDS are rare as well. Dose-adjusted EPOCH (DA-EPOCH; etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin) has been shown to be well tolerated and effective in the treatment of AIDS-related aggressive B-cell lymphomas.

Elevated red cell distribution width in the diagnosis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in patients presenting with anemia and thrombocytopenia.

Objective: To determine if red cell distribution width (RDW) is elevated in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of such elevation in the diagnosis of TTP.

Methods: We retrospectively studied red cell distribution width at presentation in 25 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed TTP who were treated with plasmapheresis in our institution between 1997 to 2005. Control patients consisted of 20 consecutive patients without TTP who presented to the emergency room (ER) with anemia and thrombocytopenia.

Enhanced cytotoxicity of rituximab following genetic and biochemical disruption of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored proteins.

Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody used to treat B cell lymphoproliferative disorders and autoimmune diseases, kills cells through complement dependent cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cellular toxicity and apoptosis. A mechanism of resistance to rituximab is upregulation of the complement regulatory proteins, CD59 and CD55. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a hematopoietic disorder caused by PIGA mutations that lead to a loss of all glycosylphospatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins including, CD55 and CD59.

Predictors of cause-specific hospital readmission in patients with heart failure.

Background: Repeated hospital readmissions are frequent and increasing over time in patients with heart failure (HF). The predictors for readmission in patients with HF are not completely understood.

Hypothesis: The study was undertaken to investigate the time course of readmission by specific cause in patients with HF, and to examine the independent effects of HF etiology and left ventricular (LV) function on cause-specific readmissions.